Silicone materials prepared from disilanes are known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 736,971 to Chassot discloses a process for the production of an organosilicon resin containing both —Si—Si— and —Si—O—Si— linkages in its molecule, which comprises subjecting to hydrolysis and simultaneous condensation an organopolysilane of the formula (CH3)mSinXp, where X represents a hydrolysable radical, n is a whole number greater than 1, and m, p, and n are related by the equation m+p=2n+2.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,618,666 to Porte discloses organosilicon resins comprising recurring disilane units, which resins are prepared by a process which includes cohydrolysis and condensation, in a heterogeneous solvent medium, of a mixture of organochlorosilanes and organochlorodisilanes.
Derwent World Patent Index Abstract of German Patent Publication No. DE 4,033,157 A to Albrecht et al. discloses production of soluble methylalkyloxypoly (disilyl)siloxanes, which comprises the single step alkoxylation and hydrolysis of disilane-containing distillation residue (A) from methylchlorosilane synthesis, or of the isolated disilanes, (A′). (A) or (A′), is reacted at reflux with a hydrolysis medium consisting of concentrated HCl (which provides an amount of water equimolar to the Si—Cl content in the starting material) and lower alkanol in presence of an inert organic solvent not miscible with the medium. The weight ratio of (A) or (A′), to alcohol is 1:0.5 to 1:4, and that of (A) or (A′) to solvent is 1:9 to 1:0.2.
Although the aforementioned references disclose silicone materials prepared from disilane precursors, there remains a need for silicone resins that are curable, substantially free of gel, and highly soluble in organic solvents.